Mouth-to-Mouth Fiction
Gregory Elich: I’ve just finished reading your latest book, CPR for Dummies, and what a wild ride it was. Although you’ve written much fiction, you’re generally known almost solely for your political works. What avenues does fiction allow you to express that aren’t so easily done in political analysis?
Mickey Z: When readers approach a book labeled “novel,” they are usually expecting some sense of entertainment… not overt education. So that allows me to tell a story, to screw around with format, to depict events without factoring in a non-fiction reader’s skepticism and desire for documentation. If I have something to say, I can put those words into the mouth of any character I choose and expect that these words will be received and perceived within the context of the story. A parable can often be more influential than a dissertation.
Full interview here:
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/09/mouth-to-mouth-fiction-cpr-for-dummies
